This is the first off-season where I've been truly worried about the state of our team (1 Viewer)

[FootballLady]

This is the first off-season where I've been truly worried about the state of our team

Am I the only one not buying this?

 

[TribuneUK]

David Onyemata
Eli Apple
Von Bell
P.J. Williams
A.J. Klien
Andrus Peat
Drew Brees
Teddy Bridgewater
Taysom Hill

These are just a few of the names that are upcoming Free-agents. And, we don't have the money to pay them. Then we have guys like:

Marshon Lattimore
Alvin Kamara
Ryan Ramcheik (SP?)
Sheldon Rankins
Alex Anzalone
Trey Hendrickson
Marcus Williams

All of these guys are soon going to have to be paid.

To top all of this off, we have very few Draft resources to begin to replenish the team's talent level. We have holes that need to be filled like WR, TE, OL, CB, LB, DT. And, to make matters worst, we have no monetary resources under the cap to fill all this. We have all of this dead money that is beginning to come due because of the management of Loomis - granted, he has had to do this to keep us competitive - but every dog will have its day eventually. This is the 1st off-season I have really been worried about the state of our team.

Maybe its time to begin to consider a complete rebuild. Drew is not getting any younger, and we have young players on this team that need to be taken care of now, before becoming free-agents. Every year these players play and get better, their prices go up. I really hate the Salary Cap because of this. Certain players command high dollar, and that takes away from the rest of the team. Players that play themselves into 100 million dollar contracts are great to have talent wise, but are really detrimental to the overall state of any team.

What are we to do? I love the idea of going after someone like A.J. Green, but do we really need him? Drew can't chunck the ball downfield anymore like he once did. We have no draft captal to go after high draft picks. Dang.

Yes, David Robbins! We have missed someone with the razor sharp analytical mind needed to blindly post the same half baked narrative that's already littered all over half the board, and act as if it's the first time it's been mentioned, let alone disregard all the evidence already presented to the contrary.

Drone on, DR, drone on ??

 

[Mississippi Saints Fan]

In being a sports fan, there's always some degree of worry about your team. From 2014-16, the worry was a lot higher for me than it is currently. If anything, we now know we have a competent scouting department, wheras before we were in cap hell and couldn't draft for crap, not to mention huge bust signings like Jarius Byrd and Brandon Browner, and being almost guaranteed to have the worst defense in the league before the season even began.

We finally have a stable scouting department, coaching staff, and so much talent that we can't afford to keep them all. Even though it sucks, I look at it as a positive. We will be able to keep most of them, and we should be much better suited to replace who we lose than in previous years. There's mainly just the big unknown right now, such as what direction we go after Brees retires.

I don't understand the argument of moving on and rebuilding at this moment, though. Very premature when our window is not completely shut just yet. With Loomis' accounting, I am not too worried. They'll make sure we keep the players that we have to keep, regardless. I'm more curious about how it's all going to play out than worried.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

I get your point DR, but on your top list all I’d be prioritizing are Taysom and Vonn. And we have Vonn’s replacement in the building if we lose him/let him walk.

 

[SweetT]

Sweet T, agree 100% on Anzalon aend Hendrickson. If you are talking about Marcus Williams, we as fans get frustrated with his occasional gafs. I read the post recently about PFF had him as an elite FS so I went to Pete. Coach Pete said that he will be expensive in free agency. The Saints have him not only playing deep safety on an island, but now have him playing some in the box. He makes a lot of turnovers for a FS but seldom let's a guy past him when he's the last line of defense. I’d prefer a guy who gets zero turnovers, but makes a tackle or play when he needs to. You know, like a play to save a game

I asked how much is a lot and he just said "a lot." Pete doesn't stay close to player contracts so he likely doesn't have a real idea, but it doesn't sound cheap.

Can Chauncey play that position if we lose Williams?

Yes, Williams could command a lot of money on the open market, but for all of the turnovers he gets, he nullifies them with a WTH moment. I personally defended this dude for so long, that I’m all out of excuses for him. In crunch moments he has been way more of a liability than anything. Can’t trust someone like that. So therefore by moving on, would save us more heartache and heartbreak. Wins are more important than anything else and this dude has mental breakdowns at the worst possible moments.

 

[Quiet Storm]

I don’t see a scenario where Williams, Anzalone, or Hendrickson breaks the bank

I would even say Anzalone and Williams are gone. Alex can't stay healthy, not worth keeping. Don't see Williams being around but if we did keep him he won't be much at all.

 

[jasonsw]

Me I don't worry so many varuables involving F.A the Draft and UDFA and picking up roster cuts. Never know can find the next M.T Taysom Kamara or Deonte Harris.

 

[Ihaveaclearance]

Relax. The salary cap is merely a suggestion Loomis laughs at each year. Those that want to stay and are wanted will be paid. Those spots that can be improved will be replaced.

 

[Scott B]

20th annual...

 

[Mississippi Saints Fan]

I would even say Anzalone and Williams are gone. Alex can't stay healthy, not worth keeping. Don't see Williams being around but if we did keep him he won't be much at all.

I'd like to keep Anzalone, personally. He has had definite troubles with his shoulders, but that should scare any other team from wanting to pay him much, I'd think. He has been turning into a great football player, but just hasn't been able to stay healthy. Maybe this latest surgery did it, and he'll be able to finish a season. Never know. Unless we pick up or draft another good coverage LB, I think he's worth keeping if he's fairly cheap. Maybe some sort of injury clause in his contract?

 

[Mrpoplus]

We’re just fine all depending on how much Drew Gets !
IMHO Bell should be allowed to walk unless resigned cheap.
apple
Bridgewater-Unless Brees Retires
Klein
Peat -Unless team friendly contract
All should be allowed to walk

onmenyeta you try to resign for the right price

Williams - His flexibly is key NCB,CB,FS I think we keep him and actually use him as a safety

Drew-Resign hopefully18-22million
Hill-Resign

We really don’t have any problems the way people make it seem

Jenkins /Kinko -19 million cap space between the 2

A couple of restructuring contracts , extensions and pay cuts (Robinson) well have about 20-25 million for free agency and draft picks

Get a CB, WR, DL, maybe OLin free agency
*CB only if Jenkins Walks

Therefore in the draft you can go BPA and hopefully double up on all 4 positions again

Sweet T, agree 100% on Anzalon aend Hendrickson. If you are talking about Marcus Williams, we as fans get frustrated with his occasional gafs. I read the post recently about PFF had him as an elite FS so I went to Pete. Coach Pete said that he will be expensive in free agency. The Saints have him not only playing deep safety on an island, but now have him playing some in the box. He makes a lot of turnovers for a FS but seldom let's a guy past him when he's the last line of defense.

I asked how much is a lot and he just said "a lot." Pete doesn't stay close to player contracts so he likely doesn't have a real idea, but it doesn't sound cheap.

Can Chauncey play that position if we lose Williams?

It would be addition by subtraction losing Marcus Williams . He is always late to the play when our corners need help and he can’t tackle worth a damn unless it’s his own team mates that he manages to injure ( Lattimore ) or just completely take out of the play (Minnesota Miracle ) all together . I hope like hell we replace him .

 

[Deucewildin]

Y

I can ride with you on most things, but not Bell. He was arguably the best player on our defense this past season and has improved every year since we drafted him. (in the discussion with Latt, Cam, and Davis) Strong Safeties usually don't get bank breaking contracts. I'm aware that we have a fast riser in Chauncey. But Bell has shown he can play deep as well and Chauncey has done well in the slot. I don't think they conflict at all. Keep and use them both.

yes he has but still avg at best and best Player ?
That’s down right disrespectful to Davis, Jordan and Lattimore maybe one of the 5 best which doesn’t say much .

Bell is good but not 7-12 million a year good, Id pay him maybe 5- 6million yet when you look at the roster and being able to possibly keep PJ and CJ Gardener Johnson along with the draft I roll with that.

CB Lattimore
NCB CJ. Johnson
CB- FA/Jenkins

M. Williams
PJ. Williams
DB-Rookie /Hampton

 

[Deucewildin]

It would be addition by subtraction losing Marcus Williams . He is always late to the play when our corners need help and he can’t tackle worth a damn unless it’s his own team mates that he manages to injure ( Lattimore ) or just completely take out of the play (Minnesota Miracle ) all together . I hope like hell we replace him .

he is a horrible tackler however most FS in today’s NFL are most of those beastly plays made on him have been overlooked the CB or LB got beat on those plays . Williams is a lurker Who has hands whose good for 5-8 picks a year if he had decent CB play you don’t let him walk. Next year we pay him hansomly 10+ million a year

 

[Heartbreak Kid]

Let em all walk, as long as we can pay drew!




Did I do it right?

 

[Loose Cannon]

"This is the first off-season where I've been truly worried about the state of our team"

No, it's not, Dave. You do this every year. Only difference is you usually wait until after the draft so you can include a part about the front office not picking the guys you wanted.